Famous People in Japan



Haitani Kenjiro

Date of Birth October 31, 1934
Place of Birth Kobe

Haitani Kenjiro is one of the famous juvenile literature writers in Japan. He was born at Hyogo-ku of Kobe on 1934. After graduating from High School, he worked at the printing company, but the company went bankrupt in the next year. After that, he worked at Mitsubishi shipyard. In 1954, he entered Osaka Gakugei University.

He was a teacher of an elementary school for 17 years, then made his debut with the juvenile literature "Usagi-no me" in 1974. It has sold almost 2,000,000 copies, and become a bestseller. In 1983, he established a child day care center "Taiyou-no ko". He described the kind hearts of humans by the theme that is the biggest problem in children's life. In 1991, he moved to Okinawa. In 1997, a murder case occurred in Kobe, a junior high school student was arrested. He stopped publishing his books with Shinchosha in protest against their action when their Focus magazine carried a photo of the suspect who was underage.

His Biographical Notes

1934 (0)He was born at Hyogo-ku of Kobe on October 31.
1942 (7) He entered to an elementary school.
1948 (14)He entered to an junior high school.
1951(17)He went to night high school while he worked.
1952 (18)He got employed in the printing company.
1953 (19)The printing company went bankrupt. He started work at Mitsubishi shipyard.
1954 (20)He entered Osaka Gakugei University.
1956 (22)He became a teacher of an elementary school.
1970 (36)He traveled to the Near and Middle East, and India.
1973 (39)He resigned from a teacher.
1974 (40)He made his debut with "Usagi-no me".
1975 (41)He won the New-Star-of the-Year Award of Japan Juvenile Literature Writers Association.
1980 (46)He moved to Awaji-shima Island and started to support himself.
1983 (49)He established a child day care center "Taiyou-no ko" in Kobe.
1991 (57)He moved to Tokashiki-jima Island.

References: "Haitani Kenjiro Marugoto Issatsu" 1997: Shinchosha, and "Imidas '98" 1997:Shueisha

Reported by: Kyoko Ota
Date of Report: June 1998
Updated by: Kayo Kawahara, May 1998

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